THE HERALDS DEVOTIONAL

THE SURROGATE JOURNEY: BIRTHING PURPOSE THROUGH OTHERS.  PART 3: THE WEIGHT OF THE WOMB — WHEN CARRYING GETS COMPLICATED Genesis 16:5–6 Then Sarai said to Abram, ‘You are responsible for the wrong I am suffering. I put my servant in your arms, and now that she knows she is pregnant, she despises me.’ Then Sarai mistreated Hagar; so she fled from her.” (NIV) 🔁 Quick Recap: In Part 2 , we met Hagar, the Egyptian servant chosen by Sarai to carry her child. Though not her dream, not her plan, and not her baby—she became the carrier of a promise she didn’t initiate. We learned how sometimes we are called to be the “other woman” in someone else’s destiny story—carrying, serving, interceding, and pushing someone else’s dream forward. 🤰 The Blessing that Brought Bitterness Hagar became pregnant. She was carrying the long-awaited seed. She should have been celebrated. But instead… she was mistreated. The one who chose her now chased her. The one who needed her now neglected her. The woman...

THE SURROGATE JOURNEY: BIRTHING PURPOSE THROUGH OTHERS.  PART 2: THE OTHER WOMAN — WHEN YOU’RE CHOSEN TO CARRY ANOTHER’S DREAM Genesis 16:3–4 "So after Abram had been living in Canaan ten years, Sarai his wife took her Egyptian slave Hagar and gave her to her husband to be his wife. He slept with Hagar, and she conceived." (NIV) 🔁 Quick Recap: In Part 1, we explored “The Womb That Waits”, drawing wisdom from Sarah’s long season of delay. We saw how purpose can feel paused, and how even in silence, God is working. Delay doesn’t mean denial. Sometimes, the womb that waits is simply the one God is preparing for something greater. 👣 Stepping Into Someone Else’s Story Hagar didn’t ask for it. She didn’t pray for it. She didn’t even have a choice. Yet suddenly, she became the one chosen to carry someone else’s dream. Her body became the ground where another woman’s desperation took root. She became a traditional surrogate—not through consent, but command. 🤰 Surrogacy and Spirit...

THE SURROGATE JOURNEY: BIRTHING PURPOSE THROUGH OTHERS.  PART 1: THE WOMB THAT WAITS — WHEN PURPOSE DELAYS Genesis 16:1–2 "Now Sarai, Abram’s wife, had borne him no children. But she had an Egyptian slave named Hagar; so she said to Abram, ‘The Lord has kept me from having children. Go, sleep with my slave; perhaps I can build a family through her.’” (NIV) 🍽️ Author’s Note: From the Kitchen of Life. .. I first heard the word surrogate when I stumbled upon a true story from one of our own here in Ghana—a respected media personality. Her womb was removed years ago by a careless doctor. Doctors told her she would never conceive again. For 17 to 18 years, she waited. Then one day, through the miracle of surrogacy, she gave birth to a set of twins. That story gripped my heart. I didn’t just hear it—I felt it. I searched for the meaning of surrogacy, and it ministered deeply to me. I realized it was more than a medical term—it was a divine metaphor. From that moment, I entered my spir...

LOVE THAT LIFTS - THE BURDEN - BEARING GOSPEL  PART 7: FINAL LAP: THE TWO COINS — INVESTING IN GRACE AND GROWTH Luke 10:30-35 Jesus said, “A man was traveling from Jerusalem to Jericho when he was attacked by bandits... They beat him and left him half dead. A priest came by but crossed to the other side... then a Levite did the same. But a Samaritan saw the man and felt compassion. He soothed his wounds... put him on his donkey, took him to an inn, and cared for him. The next day, he handed the innkeeper two silver coins, saying, ‘Take care of him. If the bill runs higher, I’ll pay you the next time I’m here.’” Grace as a deposit for restoration and the believer’s call to invest in others’ healing. RECAP OF PART 6: THE INN AND THE INNKEEPER — CREATING SAFE SPACES FOR HEALING In Part 6 , we learned that the inn represents the Church and the innkeeper symbolizes believers called to nurture the hurting. We were challenged to turn our homes, churches, and hearts into healing stations w...

LOVE THAT LIFTS - THE BURDEN - BEARING GOSPEL  PART 6: THE INN AND THE INNKEEPER — CREATING SAFE SPACES FOR HEALING Luke 10:30-35 Jesus said, “A man was traveling from Jerusalem to Jericho when he was attacked by bandits... They beat him and left him half dead. A priest came by but crossed to the other side... then a Levite did the same. But a Samaritan saw the man and felt compassion. He soothed his wounds... put him on his donkey, took him to an inn, and cared for him. The next day, he handed the innkeeper two silver coins, saying, ‘Take care of him. If the bill runs higher, I’ll pay you the next time I’m here.’” Building environments of restoration through love, leadership, and nurture. RECAP OF PART 5: THE DONKEY — CARRIERS OF COMPASSION In Part 5 , we explored how the donkey symbolizes the believer’s call to carry others’ burdens. Whether in prayer, support, or physical presence, we are called to be faithful carriers who serve quietly and sacrificially—just like Jesus did for ...

LOVE THAT LIFTS - THE BURDEN - BEARING GOSPEL  PART 5: THE DONKEY — CARRIERS OF COMPASSION Luke 10:30-35 Jesus said, “A man was traveling from Jerusalem to Jericho when he was attacked by bandits... They beat him and left him half dead. A priest came by but crossed to the other side... then a Levite did the same. But a Samaritan saw the man and felt compassion. He soothed his wounds... put him on his donkey, took him to an inn, and cared for him. The next day, he handed the innkeeper two silver coins, saying, ‘Take care of him. If the bill runs higher, I’ll pay you the next time I’m here.’” Bearing burdens in love—serving others practically and sacrificially. RECAP OF PART 4: THE GOOD SAMARITAN — WHEN LOVE CROSSES THE LINE In Part 4, we learned that true love crosses social, cultural, and religious boundaries. The Samaritan didn’t stop at pity; he moved in action, proving that compassion requires courage. We were challenged to go beyond labels and comfort to show love that heals. ...

LOVE THAT LIFTS - THE BURDEN - BEARING GOSPEL  PART 4: THE GOOD SAMARITAN — WHEN LOVE CROSSES THE LINE Luke 10:30-35 Jesus said, “A man was traveling from Jerusalem to Jericho when he was attacked by bandits... They beat him and left him half dead. A priest came by but crossed to the other side... then a Levite did the same. But a Samaritan saw the man and felt compassion. He soothed his wounds... put him on his donkey, took him to an inn, and cared for him. The next day, he handed the innkeeper two silver coins, saying, ‘Take care of him. If the bill runs higher, I’ll pay you the next time I’m here.’” Radical compassion that breaks cultural, religious, and emotional barriers. RECAP OF PART 3: THE PRIEST AND THE LEVITE — WHEN RELIGION WALKS AWA In Part 3, we discovered how dangerous it is to know truth but lack love. The priest and Levite saw the need but walked away. We were challenged to confront our excuses—spiritual, social, or emotional—and become people whose faith shows up ...

LOVE THAT LIFTS - THE BURDEN - BEARING GOSPEL  PART 3: THE PRIEST AND THE LEVITE — WHEN RELIGION WALKS AWAY Luke 10:30-35 Jesus said, “A man was traveling from Jerusalem to Jericho when he was attacked by bandits... They beat him and left him half dead. A priest came by but crossed to the other side... then a Levite did the same. But a Samaritan saw the man and felt compassion. He soothed his wounds... put him on his donkey, took him to an inn, and cared for him. The next day, he handed the innkeeper two silver coins, saying, ‘Take care of him. If the bill runs higher, I’ll pay you the next time I’m here.’” The danger of empty religion and the silence of the qualified. RECAP OF PART 2: THE ROBBERS — THE REAL ENEMIES WITHIN AND AROUND In Part 2, we exposed the robbers—anything that drains our spiritual, emotional, or social strength. We learned how sin, bad habits, fear, and trauma can rob us in silent ways. We were challenged to confront the robbers, stop bleeding in silence, and ...

LOVE THAT LIFTS - THE BURDEN - BEARING GOSPEL  PART 2: THE ROBBERS — THE REAL ENEMIES WITHIN AND AROUND Luke 10:30-35 Jesus said, “A man was traveling from Jerusalem to Jericho when he was attacked by bandits... They beat him and left him half dead. A priest came by but crossed to the other side... then a Levite did the same. But a Samaritan saw the man and felt compassion. He soothed his wounds... put him on his donkey, took him to an inn, and cared for him. The next day, he handed the innkeeper two silver coins, saying, ‘Take care of him. If the bill runs higher, I’ll pay you the next time I’m here.’” Identifying what’s been stealing your strength, joy, and peace. RECAP OF PART 1: The Wounded Man In Part 1, we uncovered how the wounded man represents all of us—broken by life, sin, or systems, and desperately in need of rescue. We discovered that our brokenness spans spiritual, emotional, physical, and social dimensions—and that Christ, the Good Samaritan, is our true healer. But...

LOVE THAT LIFTS - THE BURDEN - BEARING GOSPEL  PART 1:HUMANITY’S BROKEN STATE — THE WOUNDED MAN Luke 10:30-35 Jesus said, “A man was traveling from Jerusalem to Jericho when he was attacked by bandits... They beat him and left him half dead. A priest came by but crossed to the other side... then a Levite did the same. But a Samaritan saw the man and felt compassion. He soothed his wounds... put him on his donkey, took him to an inn, and cared for him. The next day, he handed the innkeeper two silver coins, saying, ‘Take care of him. If the bill runs higher, I’ll pay you the next time I’m here.’” Broken but not abandoned—God still reaches for us in our lowest. Have you ever been in a place where you felt completely drained—physically, spiritually, emotionally, or even maritally? The man in Jesus’ parable wasn’t just robbed—he was stripped, wounded, and left half-dead. That’s not just a story—it’s a picture of real-life struggles. This is the starting point of our journey: humanity’s...